HitFix's 10 best James Bond movies

Will 'Skyfall' crash the list when it's released in November?

By Dan Fienberg, Josh Lasser, Dave Lewis, Guy Lodge, Alan Sepinwall Friday, Oct 12, 2012 2:06 AM

The latest James Bond adventure "Skyfall" will be arriving in just a few short weeks, and it's the perfect time for the HitFix staff to look back at everyone's favorite Brit super spy. When ranking the 10 best Bond films, a lot of variables need to be taken into consideration. The series is enduring because each new film can have a new actor as Bond (not to mention those lovely Bond Girls), different worldwide settings, a fresh take on the action, a new theme song, and more.

We voted for our top ten choices (votes were weighted, so a first-place vote for "From Russia With Love" was worth 10 times as much as a tenth-place vote for "Octopussy"), and the results may surprise you.

Do you agree or disagree with our choices? Which of your favorites aren't on the list?

The 10 best James Bond movies

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Next 55 Comments

Mulderism

So glad you included my very favourite Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".

I really love this movie and am glad it is getting the respect it deserves. I sometimes wonder what would have happened had Lazenby done a few more. Probably a huge mistake for him and a loss for us.

A pretty decent list overall. I would have like to see "For Your Eyes Only" - Roger Moore's return to less excessive film making (Moonraker anybody?).

One little nitpick. I really despise the term 'super spy'. It makes Bond seem too cartoony which is not how he's portrayed in the novels.
October 12, 2012 at 4:00AM EST Reply to Comment
- Prettok Bolivia does not have the world monopoly on water. If the villain was trying to steal Lake Michigan; that would be more frightening.
  October 12, 2012 at 9:07PM EST
- morgan OHMSS is my favorite too- probably should be number 2. Sean Connery made several bond films better than Goldfinger.
  -and what's up with all the love for Casino Royale? It's pretty good, and made up for the previous couple sub-par movies, but at most should have been 6 or 7. -but the list was better than I thought it would be.
  October 13, 2012 at 7:38PM EST
- Post a comment...
  November 2, 2012 at 9:00PM EST
Bryant Burnette

Any best-of-Bond list that includes You Only Live Twice and excludes Thunderball is dead to me.
October 12, 2012 at 4:23AM EST Reply to Comment
- troopermsu I would have agreed with you up until recently. I just watch both these entries and Thunderball really didn't hold up for me while I was surprised at how much I enjoyed You Only Live Twice. To each his own I guess.
  October 16, 2012 at 5:50PM EST
Jenkins

Whoever put together this incompetent list should be kicked in the balls!

The correct list is
1) You Only Live Twice
2) Thunderball
3) Diamonds Are Forever
4) Goldfinger
5) Dr. No
6) A View to a Kill
7) Live and Let Die
8) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9&10) There are no 9&10

October 12, 2012 at 6:54AM EST Reply to Comment
- Intellectual Ninja While I like your love for Thunderball, the rest of of your list is ridiculous.
  
  A View to a Kill?
  
  DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER?
  
  Really?
  
  REALLY?
  October 12, 2012 at 7:52AM EST
- dr_lha Don't get me wrong, I like Diamonds are Forever, but come on - it's laughably camp, easily the worst EON Connery bond movie. To put it at #3 of all time is a joke.
  October 12, 2012 at 9:54AM EST
- Primogen You list "You Only Live Twice" as the best Bond film? Connery was so convinced that the Bond series had gone so off-course with that film, he quit the series and did not do "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". EON lured him back to do "Diamond Are Forever" by offering Connery what was then a stratospheric amount of $5 million.
  
  And no "From Russia With Love" or "Casino Royale" in your top ten? I wouldn't be talking about who needs to be kicked in the balls.
  October 12, 2012 at 10:48AM EST
- Joyeful Name calling in comments on articles that are clearly based on opinion is just silly. Even when we ignore that the name-caller includes Diamonds Are Forever in a 8-movie-top-ten Bond list.
  October 12, 2012 at 10:49AM EST
Intellectual Ninja

License to Kill was NOT a terrible film. To keep on saying that is simply untrue.

Where are Drew and Kris on this list? Did they have any input?

Also, where the hell is Thunderball? You have You Only Live Twice in the top-10???

YOLT is the second-worst Connery film, not befitting a top-15 list, let alone a top-10, and Thunderball is a TOP-FIVE FILM.

The list should look something more like this:

And another thing I'm sick of: Goldfinger may be a great Bond film and it's more famous than FRWL, but FRWL is hands down the best Connery film. It's not even close.

1) Casino Royale
2) From Russia With Love
3) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
4) Goldfinger
5) Thunderball
6) The Spy Who Loved Me
7) Dr. No
8) GoldenEye
9) Quantum of Solace
10) License to Kill

That may not be 100% correct, but I think it's a much better approximation of the best Bond films in a top-10 list.

Putting in You Only Live Twice over Thunderball completely and totally invalidates the list guys. Epic... oh, well, you know.

And for good measure, here are the rest of the Bond Films:

11. For Your Eyes Only
12. Live and Let Die
13. The Living Daylights
14. Die Another Day
15. You Only Live Twice
16. Tomorrow Never Dies
17. A View to a Kill
18. The Man With the Golden Gun
19. Octopussy
20. The World is Not Enough
21. Diamonds are Forever
22. Moonraker
October 12, 2012 at 8:06AM EST Reply to Comment
- Intellectual Ninja Okay, I was wrong about YOLT.
  
  It comes in AT number 15... only because there are so many more horrible, horrible films in this franchise.
  
  Seriously... some of these films are putrid, and I just forgot how so until I wrote out the whole list.
  October 12, 2012 at 8:08AM EST
- sepinwall "License to Kill was NOT a terrible film. To keep on saying that is simply untrue."
  
  A subjective opinion can't be true or false. That's not how it works. And I'm the biggest Dalton-as-Bond defender I know, plus was the perfect age for that movie, and even I can't defend it. It's better than some of the Moore movies, but it's not good.
  
  "Where are Drew and Kris on this list? Did they have any input?"
  
  Drew is doing his own journey through the Bond films and didn't participate, and Kris isn't enough of a Bond fan that he felt comfortable voting.
  
  "Putting in You Only Live Twice over Thunderball completely and totally invalidates the list guys."
  
  Again, opinions are subjective. I find Thunderball a complete slog, whereas YOLT, while completely ridiculous, *moves*. And the climax in the volcano hideout is among the more iconic Bond moments ever. (There's a reason "The Simpsons" Bond homage episode was called "You Only Move Twice" and gave Hank Scorpio a similar base.)
  October 12, 2012 at 8:55AM EST
- Intellectual Ninja I'll defend it, Alan. ;-)
  
  It's again, moving Bond to the cold, calculating assassin with motives that aren't always in his, or anyone's best interests, but underneath, there's the layer you can see, the caring side, to why he's doing what he does in the film.
  
  License to Kill has a much better villain than The Living Daylights, and Robert Davi as a Bond villain is supremely underrated.
  
  When I watch License to Kill, I feel an approximation to Fleming's Bond in the books akin to The Living Daylights, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and From Russia With Love.
  
  The only problem I have with the two Dalton films, because they're both in my top-13, so I like them, is HOW they were shot.
  
  They both look like they were shoot in many ways on the cheap. Many of the interior set-pieces look they were shot in four cameras. Especially in The Living Daylights, it looks so cheap. The jail set especially in that film is just horrible. Horrible, bright, garish lighting... it looks like a sitcom in many places.
  
  Or an episode of MacGyver. Those two films look like a mix of sitcom and TV shows shot for the CBC. Poor, poor, poor cinematography and lighting all around, really.
  
  But back to License to Kill. Leiter gets half-eaten by a shark. Bond is on the revenge trail, forgoing MI6. Dalton is brutal, just a brutal killer.
  
  In fact, for me, I see License to Kill and Quantum of Solace is brothers in many ways, as far as performance and story are concerned.
  
  James Bond on a revenge tour is great. In fact, if the whole of Diamonds are Forever came from the pre-credits opening where Bond is going after everyone who helped kill his (or, as some like this think, his replacement's) wife, that film would've been MUCH, much better. As it is, it's the 2nd worst.
  October 12, 2012 at 9:07AM EST
- sepinwall The IDEAS of Licence to Kill are interesting, but they're undercut too frequently to matter. (For instance, Felix's jovial mood in the final scene where he's talking about a fishing trip after his leg has been eaten by a shark and his wife was raped and murdered on their wedding night.) You're much more impressed by Davi than I am; I find him to be a hammy bad guy who would be on the low end of Miami Vice villains.
  
  Dalton's good, I don't object to Carey Lowell, and it's fun to see a very young and skinny Benicio Del Toro as one of the goons, but that movie doesn't hold up for me at all.
  October 12, 2012 at 9:20AM EST
- Intellectual Ninja Also, I would say, Alan, that it wasn't that License to Kill was bad that killed Dalton as Bond, as some like to say.
  
  It was a combination of the fact that it was TOO violent, TOO much like the Bond of the written word, and less like the jokey, dummy Bond of the Moore flavor that unfortunately, so many people were used to for years and years, combined with major money issues with UA/MGM at the time (money issues with MGM... wow, who'da'thunk'it, right?).
  
  Had they not had the money issues and made a third Bond with Dalton in 1990 as was the plan, the history of Bond might be quite different. No better or worse, for who can say, but different none the less.
  
  Also... in making my whole list, it's weird and surprising to say it, but Die Another Day, while bad, was not the worst Brosnan film. In fact, it's not even the 2nd worst.
  
  It's actually kind of funny... when all of the pre-Casino Royale Bonds came out in those three slim-case DVD sets, I took all of the truly putrid films, put them all into one of the boxes, and traded them to MovieStop (not my fault they didn't check and make sure the films on the box matched the films IN the box) to buy my first blu ray: Casino Royale.
  
  Nice how Bond comes full circle. :-)
  October 12, 2012 at 9:20AM EST
- Intellectual Ninja You may be right in that I see more of the idea of License to Kill and like that.
  
  Like I did admit, I am disappointed by the cheapness of look and feel of the Dalton films.
  
  As for Davi, I don't see him as any hammier than say, Gert Frobe. Now, before anyone gets up in arms, Goldfinger is a great villain, and Frobe was great, so I'm not saying Davi was better, he isn't.
  
  But Frobe, in some scenes, chewed-it pretty good.
  
  Yeah, I like Davi in the film. I'll cop to that.
  October 12, 2012 at 9:35AM EST
- Mike I tend not to get too worked up about Bond film rankings, because it's just such a subjective thing, aside from something like Sean Connery being the best Bond which I'd argue is indisputable, but Quantum of Solace was really pretty awful. Daniel Craig was still definitely doing a great job as Bond, but the movie around him failed miserably. The plot was a mess (He's going to take control of some of the Bolivian water supply? Really? And Bond is on this case? He stopped a man from detonating an atomic bomb in the United States, prevented nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia, prevented London from being flattened by nuclear missiles, but now he's stopping some guy from instigating a coup to take over some of the Bolivian water supply?), the villain was entirely unmemorable, and so were the Bond Girls, which for my money is a pretty important part of a Bond film.
  October 12, 2012 at 11:05AM EST
- Intellectual Ninja You had a problem with the following the plot? Really?
  
  The plot of QoS is about Quantum's plan to gain control "of the world" by controlling FRESH WATER, you know, our most valuable and precious resource?
  
  That is insidious and diabolical, and unlike some other Bond villains, eerily real-world-scary.
  
  Look at the way some world-spanning organizations, whether they be Multi-Nationals, or the UN, which we're now learning if the current Admin is re-elected, will be allowed to directly tax American citizens and have control over our internet rights.
  
  I don't think QoS is nearly as much of a "mess" as you seem to remember.
  
  And the scene at the Opera is one of the most iconic Bond set-pieces ever. I get chills thinking about it, how he got in there and exposed so many Quantum members. Brilliant.
  October 12, 2012 at 11:15AM EST
- Prettok Post a comment...
  October 12, 2012 at 9:03PM EST
daveyf

I can't understand some of the picks.

For stater, You Only Live Twice is a terrible Bond movie. From the fake ass vilain set to the half-ass documentary about Bond becoming a Ninja. Even the Bond girls were too obviously overdubbed. It's Lewis Gilbert's excessiveness at its worst. It's almost hard to include any Roger Moore outing in the top 10 as they were all very subpar.

1. On Her Majesty Secret Service (Fun but dead serious, new bond that doesn't quite have Connery's swagger but that could probably kick Connery and Moore's ass in the same fight).

2. Casino Royale. Martin Campbell is the best director for this franchise!! The action set, the whole tone is just perfect. Daniel Craig is a good bond although he's not quite as charming or pretty face enough for the role IMHO.

3. From Russia With Love. Prime Connery, prime Bond. Shaken not stirred.

4. Goldfinger. Would probably be higher if it wasn't so campy.

5. Goldeneye I just love this movie. Perfect Bond film.

October 12, 2012 at 9:17AM EST Reply to Comment
- Intellectual Ninja Seconded! (that You Only Live Twice is a bad film)
  October 12, 2012 at 9:30AM EST
- Mike C "5. Goldeneye I just love this movie. Perfect Bond film."
  Except for Eric Serra's score. David Arnold did a much better job with the Brosnan-era music. He has a fantastic compilation CD of artists doing Bond covers.
  October 13, 2012 at 3:47AM EST
- Paul I agree with you that OHMSS is still #1 as Casino Royale gives it a run for it money.
  October 18, 2012 at 12:36AM EST
Monty Jack

While Licence To Kill isn't as classy as The Living Daylights (one of the best post-Connery Bonds), calling it "awful" is a bit harsh. The action sequences are superb, and it was basically the Daniel Craig "gritty" 007 20 years early. Dalton deserved to play Bond more than twice...he's horribly underrated in the part.
October 12, 2012 at 10:26AM EST Reply to Comment
johnnyrocket

Since Drews 'retro review' of Thunderball last spring, I've been aware of your lack of enthusiasm toward that film.. But going by your criteria of Bond Girls, theme song, dialogue and Bondian moments? I really don't know how you rank Living Daylights.. or even YOLT and TSWLM, as much as I love both.. over Thunderball. It's the film that set the standard for the 'global threat' Bonds, the interplay between Bond and Largo.. or Volpe is rife with great lines and delivery, and the images? from the board room with the giant canvas/maps.. to the SPECTRE HQ.. to the bahamas in their swinging prime... to suspenseful set piece's like the dance scene.. I don't know how you can't acknowledge that. lastly, the jet pack? Does it get more iconic for big screen Bond?
October 12, 2012 at 11:13AM EST Reply to Comment
- johnnyrocket BTW, I just stumbled across Living Daylights in the last month playing on a Mexican movie channel while on vacation in Cabo.. It DOES NOT hold up. I thing the only reason its remembered well is because we were all starving for a serious/vigorous Bond after a seriously aging Moore on View. (as an added bonus here.. NEVER got to Cabo in September.. too flipping hot..)
  
  October 12, 2012 at 11:17AM EST
Paul C

I'm glad to see OHMSS get a good write-up as a lot of (casual) people under-rate it due to it being Lazenby's only film (thinking therefore it *must* be a dud), but the romance aspect is incredibly strong, especially the ending. Also it was the first film to have any sort of action events based around the snow, and they came across pretty decently. I sometimes think what that film would have been like if Connery had of had a go at it.

I think Dalton also gets a bit of a bad rep, but he was *exactly* the type of portrayal that was needed after the late Moore movies whereby they were cartoonish with every other line being a silly quip. That said, while Dalton is strong with what he has, I don't really rate either of his films as being all that good. The storylines are quite blah, the villains unmemorable, and the Bond girls are very dreary.

October 12, 2012 at 11:45AM EST Reply to Comment
Daggard

Sorry, but any actor that portrays Bond and has to have his voice dubbed over because he can't even do a decent British accent gets a thumbs down from me. I see the appeal of OHMSS - Diana Rigg, John Barry's score, the locations, plot and ending - but it still has the worst Bond by far in the series and for me, it all comes down to the man in the tux. Anyway, rant over, here's my personal favourites list:

1. From Russia With Love
2. Goldfinger
3. Casino Royale
4. Dr No
5. Goldeneye
6. Thunderball
7. Spy Who Loved Me
8. The Living Daylights
9. For Your Eyes Only
10.Live and Let Die
October 12, 2012 at 11:28PM EST Reply to Comment
Jimbo

Sorry, Casino Royale shouldn't be that high, The Spy Who Loved Me Shouldn't be that low, and although I might be in the minority, I don't think You Only Live Twice is all that great either. I've seen worse lists.
October 13, 2012 at 1:40AM EST Reply to Comment
kandyman13

For the most part, I agree with you list. However, my favourite Bond movie is "Casino Royal" which had it all and was simply an exceptional movie. Complex story, deep characters, great acting, and awesome action.

My second is "From Russia with Love", which is a classic cold war spy story (the only one of the series I think). It was well constructed and involved simply acquiring a decoder, and not the standard taking over the world. It also included a worthy adversary for Bond, the assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw).

But I totally disagree with choosing as the 3rd best Bond movie "On her Majesty's Secret Service" ! It shouldn't even be in the top 10. Breaking the 4th wall should never have happen - was it supposed to be a comedy or just a bad joke? George Lazenby may have done an okay job but the story was ridiculous and the stunts and filming were bad. And Kojak wasn't any good. Probably the worst one along with "A View to a Kill".
October 13, 2012 at 2:12AM EST Reply to Comment
- Mulderism What movie were you watching??
  November 2, 2012 at 9:22PM EST
Aboy

I actually agree with most of those. But I thought Licence to Kill was better than The Living Daylights. I feel like it was a little more edgyier than that one. It would be in my Top Ten. All of those others I would put though. Heres how I would rank them.

1. Goldfinger
2. From Russia With Love
3. Dr. No
4. Casino Royale
5. Goldeneye
6. Live and Let Die
7. The Spy Who Loved Me
8. Licence to Kill
9. You Only Live Twice
10. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
October 13, 2012 at 7:03PM EST Reply to Comment
davemerson

IMHO:

1)From Russia With Love
2)Goldfinger
3)Thunderball
4)Casino Royale
5)OHMSS
6)The Spy Who Loved Me
7)Licence to Kill
8)For Your Eyes Only
9)Live and Let Die
10)Quantum of Solace

None of the Brosnan Bonds are memorable; only Moonraker and Octopussy were more abyssmal.

October 13, 2012 at 11:47PM EST Reply to Comment
murad

Good list in general however I would rate FRWL as the number one Bond movie followed by Goldfinger and Casino Royale. And, any list which includes YOLT instead of Thunderball is less than perfect. In my opinion,the once-and-future Bond can only be Connery!
October 14, 2012 at 2:13AM EST Reply to Comment
Paul Hooson

I thought that LICENSE TO KILL was far superior to THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, although Timothy Dalton was never my favorite James Bond. But, Roger Moore was my favorite James Bond. He redefined the role as "over-the-top" and fun compared to the very serious performances of Sean Connery, although GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL are certainly two of the absolute best films in this series by far. Roger Moore's best outing was in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, a very good Bond film. Pierce Brosnan was interesting. He certainly looked like "James Bond", but appeared to be a real lightweight in the role, where not one single Bond film that he did really impressed me very much. Daniel Craig is a very good actor, but I've seen him in other films that I sure enjoy more than the Bond films that I've seen him in so far. But, so far Daniel Craig's Bond films seem like good action movies to me, but not really like true James Bond movies, if you know what I mean. I like Lulu's theme song for MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, it has a sort of cool sounding cheap pop hit sound that seems to really have some appeal to me. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE was a surprising good film despite the fact that both George Lazenby as James Bond and Telly Savalas as Blofield could have both been better cast actors in this film. But, the film did highlight Diana Rigg, which was important, because she began a long career on THE AVENGERS, which also gave us Honor Blackman and Patrick MacNee, both of which played in Bond films.
October 14, 2012 at 12:42PM EST Reply to Comment
J

In chronological order:

Doctor No.
From Russia with Love.
Goldfinger.
OHMSS.
The Spy Who Loved Me.
For Your Eyes Only.
Living Daylights.
Goldeneye.
The World is not Enough.
Casino Royale.
October 15, 2012 at 1:12AM EST Reply to Comment
Agent XXX

wow i gave up looking at your list after the first 3 choices...you can not be serious? Is this some attempt to come up with a 'fresh' top 10? Wow.

1.From Russia with Love
2.Casino Royale
3.Thunderball
4.Goldfinger
5.On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6.The Spy Who Loved Me
7.Dr No
8.Goldeneye
9.For Your Eyes Only
10.License To Kill

i predict Skyfall will be the best of the new Bonds and place at 2.
October 15, 2012 at 7:32AM EST Reply to Comment
Gary

They got Casino Royale and OHMSS correct but leavig Thunderball outof the top ten was a miss. I think you could take Thunderball, FRWL and Goldfinger and sawap them out as a top three on any given day. Largo > Red Grant Goldfinger but to argue otherwise would not be a stretch. I also would not include any Moore films other than FYEO.
1. OHMSS
2. Casino Royale
3. Thunderball
4. From Rusia w/Love
5. Goldfinger
6. Living Daylights
7. Dr. No
8. For Your Eyes Only
9. Goldeneye (Brosnan movies will not age well...)
10. Thomas Crown Affair...better than the rest of Bond. :)

October 16, 2012 at 11:20AM EST Reply to Comment
Fa Fa Foo Hi

I think like most bond fans I'm able to see Pierce Brosnan for what he was, and I'm able to see people fondness for Goldeneye most likely came from the video game than the actual movie. This why a lot people can't name the plot, or think the idea of Bond fighting his former friend is compeling eventhough we only see their friendship on screen for a minute before Sean Bean is faked killed off.

Don't get me wrong Goldeneye is still a good Bond outing, but it's slightly overrated by many. It's probably on par with The Spy who Loves Me. Oddly enough Brosnan Bond films suffered from all the same problems the Moore and the Dalton films had all in one bi polar mess.

One second we are suppose to be feeling for Brosnan feeling for some woman he just slept with, then the next second Pierce Brosnan is in some stupid big bubble wrap ball rolling down the slopes, or he's in some stupid invisible car with ice pick wheels, then we are back to being emotional over some chick we barely know.

For those who bash on On Her Majesty's Secret Serivice then praise The World is Not Enough, I hope you people suffer a death that is as bland and as poorly written as the films you like.
October 18, 2012 at 5:20PM EST Reply to Comment
dezso

daniel Craig is the worst bond yet. The essence of Bond is to combine action with humor, elegance and gadgets. Craig is totally missing out on humor and mostly on elegance. He is just another J. van Damm. Shame as he is capable of acting.
October 18, 2012 at 5:30PM EST Reply to Comment
kandyman13

My Top 5:

1. Casino Royal

2. From Russia with Love

3. Goldfinger

4. Goldeneye

5. The Spy Who Loved Me
October 18, 2012 at 10:42PM EST Reply to Comment
ACLock007

1. Casino Royale
2. From Russia With Love
3. Goldfinger
4. For Your Eyes Only
5. Thunderball
6. Live and Let Die
7. License to Kill
8. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9. Dr. No
10. GoldenEye

Agree with many that FRWL is overall better than Goldfinger, but Casino Royale was such a reminder of why I loved Bond it the first place that I had to give it top marks. I am also surprised to see most lists not have For Your Eyes Only higher. I really liked it when it came out, as I thought the Moore films had gotten just plain silly (and of course they went dramatically downhill again afterwards).
Fun list to play around with!
October 19, 2012 at 3:48PM EST Reply to Comment
Angel

Come on the best is Casino Royale. By far....
October 19, 2012 at 6:59PM EST Reply to Comment
kkqkqk hjqq

The Golden Gun should have been on the list....it's one of my best
October 20, 2012 at 9:33AM EST Reply to Comment
werewuf

Casino Royale in no way shape or form belongs on this list....
October 20, 2012 at 11:39AM EST Reply to Comment
Scott

I don't know about You Only Live Twice on this list. Replace it with Thunderball.
October 21, 2012 at 9:38PM EST Reply to Comment
L Long

The only Bond worse than Dalton was Woody Allen. To include him in the top 10 is absurd.
October 22, 2012 at 10:12AM EST Reply to Comment
bondlvr

1. Quantum of Solace
2. Octopussy
3. Moonracker
4. License to Kill
5. A View to a Kill
6. Diamonds are Forever
7. Never say Never Again
8. On her Majesty's
9. Tomorrow Never Dies
10. Die Another Day
October 23, 2012 at 12:49AM EST Reply to Comment
Andy

Best JB? Sean Connery. Best JB film? From Russia with Love. Best theme song? The World Is Not Enough. Best Villain? Prince Ghamal Kahn (Louis Jourdan), "Octopussy." Best JB girl/woman? Maude Adams, only one to appear in more than one JB film.
October 24, 2012 at 4:07AM EST Reply to Comment
Ian

My personal Top 10, in order, is Goldfinger, Casino Royale, The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia with Love, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, You Only Live Twice, Die Another Day, Octopussy and Diamonds are Forever.
October 24, 2012 at 4:07PM EST Reply to Comment

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Prettok Bolivia does not have the world monopoly on water. If the villain was trying to steal Lake Michigan; that would be more frightening.

Post a comment...

Bryant Burnette Any best-of-Bond list that includes You Only Live Twice and excludes Thunderball is dead to me.

troopermsu I would have agreed with you up until recently. I just watch both these entries and Thunderball really didn't hold up for me while I was surprised at how much I enjoyed You Only Live Twice. To each his own I guess.

Jenkins Whoever put together this incompetent list should be kicked in the balls!The correct list is 1) You Only Live Twice2) Thunderball3) Diamonds Are Forever4) Goldfinger5) Dr. No6) A View to a Kill7) Live and Let Die8) On Her Majesty's Secret Service9&10) There are no 9&10

Intellectual Ninja While I like your love for Thunderball, the rest of of your list is ridiculous.A View to a Kill?DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER?Really?REALLY?

dr_lha Don't get me wrong, I like Diamonds are Forever, but come on - it's laughably camp, easily the worst EON Connery bond movie. To put it at #3 of all time is a joke.

Joyeful Name calling in comments on articles that are clearly based on opinion is just silly. Even when we ignore that the name-caller includes Diamonds Are Forever in a 8-movie-top-ten Bond list.

Intellectual Ninja Okay, I was wrong about YOLT.It comes in AT number 15... only because there are so many more horrible, horrible films in this franchise.Seriously... some of these films are putrid, and I just forgot how so until I wrote out the whole list.

Prettok Post a comment...

Intellectual Ninja Seconded! (that You Only Live Twice is a bad film)

Mike C "5. Goldeneye I just love this movie. Perfect Bond film."Except for Eric Serra's score. David Arnold did a much better job with the Brosnan-era music. He has a fantastic compilation CD of artists doing Bond covers.

Paul I agree with you that OHMSS is still #1 as Casino Royale gives it a run for it money.

Jimbo Sorry, Casino Royale shouldn't be that high, The Spy Who Loved Me Shouldn't be that low, and although I might be in the minority, I don't think You Only Live Twice is all that great either. I've seen worse lists.

Mulderism What movie were you watching??

davemerson IMHO:1)From Russia With Love2)Goldfinger3)Thunderball4)Casino Royale5)OHMSS6)The Spy Who Loved Me7)Licence to Kill8)For Your Eyes Only9)Live and Let Die10)Quantum of SolaceNone of the Brosnan Bonds are memorable; only Moonraker and Octopussy were more abyssmal.

murad Good list in general however I would rate FRWL as the number one Bond movie followed by Goldfinger and Casino Royale. And, any list which includes YOLT instead of Thunderball is less than perfect. In my opinion,the once-and-future Bond can only be Connery!

J In chronological order:Doctor No.From Russia with Love.Goldfinger.OHMSS.The Spy Who Loved Me.For Your Eyes Only.Living Daylights.Goldeneye.The World is not Enough.Casino Royale.

dezso daniel Craig is the worst bond yet. The essence of Bond is to combine action with humor, elegance and gadgets. Craig is totally missing out on humor and mostly on elegance. He is just another J. van Damm. Shame as he is capable of acting.

kandyman13 My Top 5:1. Casino Royal2. From Russia with Love3. Goldfinger4. Goldeneye5. The Spy Who Loved Me

Angel Come on the best is Casino Royale. By far....

kkqkqk hjqq The Golden Gun should have been on the list....it's one of my best

werewuf Casino Royale in no way shape or form belongs on this list....

Scott I don't know about You Only Live Twice on this list. Replace it with Thunderball.

L Long The only Bond worse than Dalton was Woody Allen. To include him in the top 10 is absurd.

bondlvr 1. Quantum of Solace2. Octopussy3. Moonracker4. License to Kill5. A View to a Kill6. Diamonds are Forever7. Never say Never Again8. On her Majesty's9. Tomorrow Never Dies10. Die Another Day

Andy Best JB? Sean Connery. Best JB film? From Russia with Love. Best theme song? The World Is Not Enough. Best Villain? Prince Ghamal Kahn (Louis Jourdan), "Octopussy." Best JB girl/woman? Maude Adams, only one to appear in more than one JB film.

Ian My personal Top 10, in order, is Goldfinger, Casino Royale, The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia with Love, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, You Only Live Twice, Die Another Day, Octopussy and Diamonds are Forever.

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Bryant Burnette

Any best-of-Bond list that includes You Only Live Twice and excludes Thunderball is dead to me.

Jenkins

Whoever put together this incompetent list should be kicked in the balls!

The correct list is
1) You Only Live Twice
2) Thunderball
3) Diamonds Are Forever
4) Goldfinger
5) Dr. No
6) A View to a Kill
7) Live and Let Die
8) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9&10) There are no 9&10

Intellectual Ninja While I like your love for Thunderball, the rest of of your list is ridiculous.

A View to a Kill?

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER?

Really?

REALLY?

Intellectual Ninja Okay, I was wrong about YOLT.

It comes in AT number 15... only because there are so many more horrible, horrible films in this franchise.

Seriously... some of these films are putrid, and I just forgot how so until I wrote out the whole list.

Mike C "5. Goldeneye I just love this movie. Perfect Bond film."
Except for Eric Serra's score. David Arnold did a much better job with the Brosnan-era music. He has a fantastic compilation CD of artists doing Bond covers.

Jimbo

Sorry, Casino Royale shouldn't be that high, The Spy Who Loved Me Shouldn't be that low, and although I might be in the minority, I don't think You Only Live Twice is all that great either. I've seen worse lists.

davemerson

IMHO:

1)From Russia With Love
2)Goldfinger
3)Thunderball
4)Casino Royale
5)OHMSS
6)The Spy Who Loved Me
7)Licence to Kill
8)For Your Eyes Only
9)Live and Let Die
10)Quantum of Solace

None of the Brosnan Bonds are memorable; only Moonraker and Octopussy were more abyssmal.

murad

Good list in general however I would rate FRWL as the number one Bond movie followed by Goldfinger and Casino Royale. And, any list which includes YOLT instead of Thunderball is less than perfect. In my opinion,the once-and-future Bond can only be Connery!

J

In chronological order:

Doctor No.
From Russia with Love.
Goldfinger.
OHMSS.
The Spy Who Loved Me.
For Your Eyes Only.
Living Daylights.
Goldeneye.
The World is not Enough.
Casino Royale.

dezso

daniel Craig is the worst bond yet. The essence of Bond is to combine action with humor, elegance and gadgets. Craig is totally missing out on humor and mostly on elegance. He is just another J. van Damm. Shame as he is capable of acting.

kandyman13

My Top 5:

1. Casino Royal

2. From Russia with Love

3. Goldfinger

4. Goldeneye

5. The Spy Who Loved Me

Angel

Come on the best is Casino Royale. By far....

kkqkqk hjqq

The Golden Gun should have been on the list....it's one of my best

werewuf

Casino Royale in no way shape or form belongs on this list....

Scott

I don't know about You Only Live Twice on this list. Replace it with Thunderball.

L Long

The only Bond worse than Dalton was Woody Allen. To include him in the top 10 is absurd.

bondlvr

1. Quantum of Solace
2. Octopussy
3. Moonracker
4. License to Kill
5. A View to a Kill
6. Diamonds are Forever
7. Never say Never Again
8. On her Majesty's
9. Tomorrow Never Dies
10. Die Another Day

Andy

Best JB? Sean Connery. Best JB film? From Russia with Love. Best theme song? The World Is Not Enough. Best Villain? Prince Ghamal Kahn (Louis Jourdan), "Octopussy." Best JB girl/woman? Maude Adams, only one to appear in more than one JB film.

Ian

My personal Top 10, in order, is Goldfinger, Casino Royale, The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia with Love, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, You Only Live Twice, Die Another Day, Octopussy and Diamonds are Forever.

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